processing, sense making and advances in comprehension or mastery that occur when one is acquiring knowledge or skill”.
B. Teaching English to Young Learners
According to Philips 1993:5 young learner is children from the first year of formal schooling five six years old to eleven years old. Children
brain in age 6 up to 8 grows faster. Similarly, C. Brumfit 1995:220 stated during the early years in school, learning generally goes a head more quickly
and progress in learning a second language is sustained. It means that young learners of English are the children who learn
English from five to twelve years old and it is considered as golden ages for children.
Jarolimek 2001:3 stated that teaching to young learners is different from teaching to the adult. It requires the teachers to use teaching strategies
and tactics. In harmony with Jarolimek, Wendy A. Scott and Lisbeth H. Ytreberg 1998: 3 explained that children have certain characteristics: first,
they understand situation more quickly than they understand the language used. Second, their own understanding comes through hands, eyes, and ears.
Third, they are very logical – what you say first happened first. Fourth, they
are a very short attention and concentration span. Fifth, young children sometimes have difficulty in knowing what is in fact and what fiction is.
Sixth, young children are often happy playing and working alone but in the company of others. Seventh, young learners can not decide for themselves
what to learn. Eighth, young children love to play, and learn best when they are enjoying themselves. The last, young children are enthusiastic about
learning. From the statement above, it means that the teacher should understand
the characteristics of the students first before they teach them. They also should pay attention to the students because it is important to know the
condition of the students, to find out the best solution in increasing stu dents’
motivation, and to make them interested in studying English.
C. Technique in Teaching English to Young Learners
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